Abstract
Perhaps the most useful way to enter into the conversation about discursive therapies is to address what I see as a central issue that we must confront as spokespersons of therapy as social construction: What does it mean to approach therapeutic practice from a constructionist stance? What do we do, as therapists, once we propose that meaning emerges in the on-going flow of persons in situated activity? This concern gives rise to a related issue which I will touch upon as an exciting and vitally important direction in which we must now move: how do we assess or evaluate our therapeutic practice if meaning is understood as a local achievement? This question emerges as we confront both the continuing conversation around therapeutic practice and its relation to a constructionist orientation (e.g., this volume stands as one illustration). Our discussions might be well focused on appreciating conversations that challenge us to articulate what we mean when we talk of therapeutic practice as social construction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Andersen, T. (1991). The reflecting team. New York: WW Norton and Company.
Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an ecology of mind. New York: Bantam.
Berg, I.K. (1994). Family-based services: A solution-focused approach. New York: WW Norton.
Chasin, R., Herzig, M., Roth, S., Chasin, L, Becker, C. & Stains, R. (1996). From diatribe to dialogue on divisive public issues: Approaches drawn from family therapy. Mediation Quarterly, 13, 323–344.
Chasin, R. & Herzig, M. (1994). Creating systemic interventions for the socio-political arena. In B. Berger-Could & D.H. DeMuth, (Eds.). The global family therapist: Integrating the personal, professional and political. Needham, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.
de Shazer, S. (1985). Keys to solution in brief therapy. New York: WW Norton.
Guanaes, C. (2003). Unpublished manuscript.
Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science. New York: Harper.
McNamee, S. & Gergen, K.J. (Eds.) (1992). Therapy as social construction. London: Sage.
McNamee, S. & Gergen, K.J. (1999). Relational responsibility: Resources for sustainable dialogue. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
O’Hanlon, W & Weiner-Davis, M. (1989). In search of solutions. New York: WW Norton.
White, M. & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. New York: WW Norton and Company.
Wittgenstein, L. (1953). Philosophical investigations. New York: Macmillan.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
McNamee, S., Shawver, L. (2004). Therapy As Social Construction. In: Strong, T., Paré, D. (eds) Furthering Talk. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8975-8_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8975-8_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4743-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-8975-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive